Vale of Clwyd MP Dr James Davies has backed a proposal to give British Sign Language (BSL) legal recognition and to ensure it is used more in public services.
Although BSL was recognised as a language in its own right by the government in 2003, it has no legal protection.
The British Sign Language Bill, which aims to improve accessibility for deaf people and would see the promotion of BSL when making public service announcements, was given an unopposed second reading in the House of Commons on Friday after securing the government's support.
Contributing to the debate on the bill, James highlighted the number of people who use BSL in Wales and the fact this is likely to increase.
He also spoke of the impact the pandemic has had on the way we communicate and his hope that the outcomes of the bill are enjoyed nationwide.
He said:
“The Royal National Institute for Deaf People estimates that there are 12 million people with hearing loss in this country, and that is potentially set to rise to 14.2 million adults by 2035. At this point, it is worth acknowledging the role of Rose Ayling-Ellis in representing that community during her time on Strictly Come Dancing. She is supporting the Bill, which is fantastic.
“In Wales, roughly 7,200 people use BSL as a primary form of communication. As we have heard, across the UK that rises to perhaps 87,000. It is important to be aware that the use of BSL goes beyond those with hearing loss to include others, such as those with learning disabilities.
“I support efforts to promote and protect BSL, especially given the likelihood of the number of BSL users increasing further, including through its increased recognition as a language of Great Britain.”
He added:
“The pandemic has had a significant impact on how we communicate. We have adapted to a more virtual way of contact very often and to the widespread use of face masks. As has been highlighted, they obscure our lip movements and that can be difficult for all of us, in fact, in shops and elsewhere, but it has been very difficult for those with hearing loss. That fact has helped to drive society to embrace BSL over the course of the pandemic. Admittedly with some pressure sometimes, most public health information has been available in alternative formats, including BSL, and the Cabinet Office is looking to extend similar BSL provisions for all public broadcasts, including non-covid broadcasts from Downing Street.
“We have made so much progress since BSL was first recognised by Ministers on a non-statutory basis in 2003 and since the Equality Act 2010 and the public sector equality duty brought with them an expectation of “reasonable adjustment” on the part of public sector organisations. I have a degree of experience of that as a general practitioner, but I recognise that it is far from acceptable on some occasions. Family members can attend to help to interpret and that may be appropriate in some circumstances, but I have experienced times when the service has not quite been what it should be.
"The digital opportunities that have arisen from the pandemic will quite possibly assist in that respect, and the Bill will help towards those objectives.
“There is a strong preference for the full engagement of the devolved Administrations to ensure that the practical outcomes of the Bill are enjoyed nationwide, and I hope that the Minister will be able to assure the House that that is the intention.”
The bill will now undergo further parliamentary scrutiny at a later date."
